The Circus
by Talks too much
Summary: Sequel to The Dollhouse. Now, its time for Nick to meet Miley's family. Just how crazy are they? And can he handle them? Niley.
1. Prologue

Miley tumbled across their living room in search of her straightener. She pushed off the magazines from the coffee table and squinted her eyes- it wasn't there. She groaned and raced through their apartment, searching high and low. Why hadn't she begun packing earlier? She had no idea. All her clothes were strewn across their bedroom and she didn't even have a suitcase yet. She heard the apartment door open and her feet carried her to her other half.

"Miss me?" he teased once she stumbled into his arms. She was taking frantic breaths of air in order to calm herself down.

"The cruise ship leaves in two hours and I haven't even finished my packing yet," she whined. She trudged back to her room and started rummaging through their closets for a decent sized suitcase. It was a week long trip on water and she needed to be prepared.

"I packed yesterday," Nick smiled proudly. Miley rolled her eyes and dragged out her black suitcase and set it on the bed. She grabbed a hand full of clothes and dumped them in. She nodded towards Nick to pick up the second pile of clothes on her dresser. Nick obliged and turned towards her dresser, picking up her stuff. He neatly laid them on the bed and started folding them into the suitcase.

"We don't have time to fold things," Miley groaned, picking up her clothes one by one and scattering them into her mess of a suitcase.

"Wow, I would love to see you in this," Nick smirked as he held up a small bikini. Miley gave him a sarcastic smile and snatched it out of his hands.

"I'm sure you would," she commented. She flipped back the suitcase and started zipping it up. Nick took the command to grab her toothbrush from the bathroom. He but it in a small tube and threw it towards her to pack.

"I think we should pack condoms," Nick smirked, grabbing a packet from the drawer beside their bed. Miley groaned and grabbed the packet, tossing them back into their rightful place.

"I need to pack," she added seriously. She whipped around and glanced around the room one more time, silently calculating if she forgot anything.

"That's why you should have a packing list," he commented on her behavior. She huffed and turned around, starting her second search for her precious straightener. "What are you looking for?" he shouted as he watched his girlfriend rampage through their apartment.

"My straightener!"

"Miley, we're going to be late," he groaned, checking the time again. He leaned back so that he was lying on the bed. He was always the one that would pack way earlier while she procrastinated everything.

"Don't blame me. Blame my dad, he taught me to procrastinate these things," she shouted as though she was reading his mind. She appeared back in the room with the metal object in her hand. "Speaking of my dad. This is the first time you're meeting him," she prodded along the conversation that they've been putting off for weeks.

"Its going to be fine," he soothed the brunette. He beckoned her closer until she was a couple of inches away from him. He brought his hands to her shoulder and drew her closer gently.

"I'm just warning you. My dad and Jackson can be a little....intense," she chose her words carefully. Nick chuckled and nuzzled in his face to her stomach. "Nick," she whined.

"It will be fine. We're going on vacation with your family. What's the worst that can happen?" he asked lightly.

"If you think this," Miley pointed at herself and continued, "is crazy. Then you haven't seen nothing yet." Her Tennessee accent was clear and Nick grinned as her nose began scrunching up.

"What?" he laughed. She sighed.

"I don't think you understand the seriousness of this situation. You're spending seven days-," she was breathing rapidly by now and Nick decided to cut her off.

"With your family," he finished for her. He was amused by her whole entire reaction to the situation. "Miley, you dealt with my family for a week. The least I could do is meet your family too," he grinned boyishly.

"And Lily and Oliver," she added randomly. Nick looked at her in confusion. "You'll be meeting Lily and Oliver too," she explained.

"They're your best friends, Mi. I would love to meet them," he chuckled. She scoffed as he turned around to grab her suitcase. It was time for them to start leaving. He dragged her luggage off the bed and grabbed his duffel bag from the closet.

"Yes, but they are my mushy gushy best friends," she explained.

"Miley, we're mushy gushy," Nick threw his head back in laughter. She crossed her arms and glared at him. He ignored her and walked towards the bedroom door.

"I'm warning you though. These people aren't normal," Miley talked as he took the bags out of the room. Nick gave her an eye roll and grabbed the keys. They exited the apartment together and she turned around to lock it.

"Miley, I've dealt with you for two years now. I think I can handle crazy," he joked. They walked towards the elevator and Miley slapped him in on the arm. "Oww," he complained, giving her a glare. She stuck her tongue out and pushed the button to go down to the parking garage.

"I'm telling you...they aren't normal crazy. I'm normal crazy. My family and Lily and Oliver are beyond normal crazy."

"Okay, I got," Nick retorted. Miley gave him a look and he proceeded to say, "Everything will be fine." He wrapped his free arm around her and tugged her to his side. She melted into his body and the two quietly waited until the elevator singed open to the parking garage.

Nick beeped the car open and stuffed their bags into their trunk before hopping into the driver's seat. Miley was already buckled up and the two back out of the parking space and exited the garage.

"So, Lily and I will be in one room," Miley explained. Nick nodded for her to continue. "I booked a room with you and Oliver and then another with my dad and Jackson."

"Why can't I just stay with you," Nick playfully asked. Miley giggled and looked him, shaking her head.

"If you don't want to room with Oliver, you can always go with Jackson," Miley added in innocently. "You would love that," she finished sarcastically.

"Fine, Oliver it is," Nick replied quickly. He had stories about Jackson. And if Miley was a frustration to live with, Jackson would be ten times worse. Miley laughed maniacally at his reaction.

"See, I knew you'd be fine with it," she smiled at him. Nick gave her a cheesy smile and hopped the car onto the freeway.

"So, tell me about your dad," he ventured. All Nick really new in detail was that Robby Ray was a musician and that he quit once he had to raise Miley and Jackson all alone.

"He used to be big in the underground scene until he quit. People still know him and stuff but he just had a lot on his plate- you know raising Jackson and me."

"What's Jackson's story?" Nick proceeded to the right exit, reaching the ocean shore. He drove alongside the street and tuned back into the conversation.

"He does a bit of everything," she answered, not getting into anything specific. Nick nodded.

"Lily and Oliver?" he asked to clear up the silence as they were searching for the place they were supposed to be at.

"They've been together ever since I could remember. It was this huge thing when the first started going out. Everyone was super surprised," Miley leaned to the window to get a good luck at the building numbers. Her eyes caught a big white ship docked at a harbor with the detailed word "Fantasy Cruises".

"Is that it," Nick asked as he saw her eyes light up. She nodded with excitement and he began to turn the car into the parking lot. They parked and got out. Nick's eyes wandered around and he caught sight of four people- a blonde girl, two younger guys, and a guy who looked to be the age of Miley's dad. They were all laughing. And they were all full of life. "Is that them?" Nick wondered out loud. Miley tossed her head in his direction and grinned.

"Yup. That's them." Nick watched as she darted across the parking lot and into her father's arms. The rest of them laughed and engulfed her into a bear hug. He smiled to himself. This was going to be a fun week.

**A/N So, remember how I've been complaining non stop that I couldn't think of a plot for the sequel so I won't be doing it.....guess...what....in the middle of chem class I got a brilliant idea and then the plot came right along. I should probably pay more attention in chem......huh...but anyways. It will be set up like The Dollhouse was, but COMPLETELY different plot. With twists and turns and just fun stuff all around. And like the Dollhouse, I tried to incorporate a cool theme to it (= So, hopefully you get it. This story is funny...well at least I hope it will be, haha**. **I promise Miley is not secretly married or anything crazy like that. But I hope you guys like it. (= (= (= (= Haha, I'm excited because this was so unexpected. **


	2. Day 1

There was a loud thump that echoed through the cabin as Nick tossed through his sheets. He looked over at the other bed where Oliver was sleeping soundly. The two had stayed up all night playing video games and talking about their respective girlfriends. He groaned as he heard another knock on the door. He got up and dragged his feet, slowly opening his eyes as he reached the door. He yawned and pulled the doorknob.

"Hello there," he heard Jackson's booming voice. He had met Jackson yesterday, but everyone was so busy unpacking their stuff.

"Hey," Nick mumbled, trying to wake himself up for a decent conversation. He caught onto Jackson big, expanding grin. "Whats up?" he questioned.

"I was thinking about swimming," he piped up. He seemed a little hyper, bouncing up and down to get a clear view of Nick's room.

"Right now?"

"Yeah, get your swim trunks," Jackson shouted as he barged into the room. He belly-flopped onto Oliver's bed, waking up the brunette. "Ollie Trollie," Jackson sounded off, giving the bed another bounce until Oliver sat upright.

"What?" Oliver groaned, wiping his eyes open. He flipped over his covers and stumbled out of his bed. He gave a nod at Nick who was grabbing his trunks. "We're going swimming?" He looked over at Jackson who gave him a short nod. "Now?" he flipped his head to the clock.

"Pool's gonna be wide open," Jackson boomed, grinning. Oliver gave him an incredulous look and shot a glance at Nick.

"He can go. I'm going to sleep in a little more," he yawned. "Plus, he's the one who has to suck up to you this week. He is dating your sister."

"True..." Jackson pondered. He automatically shifted off the bed and skipped out the door. He called over his shoulder, "Nick, hurry up." The door slammed shut, leaving Nick and Oliver alone in pure silence.

"Good luck with him," Oliver grinned as Nick walked into the bathroom. It took the curly headed boy a couple of minutes to change and walk out.

"What do you mean?" Nick chuckled, afraid of the day he was going with Jackson.

"I mean he's crazy. You know he's a professional stunt double, right? He does stupid things for a living."

"Miley's told me stories," Nick laughed at Oliver's warning. Oliver shook his floppy hair and gave Nick a small laugh, decreasing his level of comfort.

"Trust me. Miley doesn't even know the half of it." And with that, Nick left the room. He met Jackson in the hallway and gulped down his fears. It was going to be a good day...he hoped.

It was a silent walk as the two made their way through the ship's hallways. Jackson started to whistle as the two rounded a corner and stepped out onto the ship's deck. Just like Jackson had said earlier, the deck was clear of people and they could see the sun settle itself near the edge of the sky. It was early morning and no one was up.

"You realize you can get STDs by just kissing people, right?" Jackson cited out randomly. Nick choked back the directness of the quote.

"Huh?" he asked and was clearly confused of the situation. Jackson raised his eyebrows and gave Nick a hard glance.

"I mean. If you think about even touching my sister, you'll get the Sure To Die disease. Its where I feed you to the sharks," Jackson said nonchalantly. He side glanced at Nick who was mentally cursing himself for deciding to be alone with Jackson. They reached the pool and the two took off their flip flops. Nick looked a little wearily at the water. Jackson did a couple of arm stretches and made his way toward the diving board. He slowly climbed up and top. He took a deep breath, gave Nick a wink, and sprung off the board. His body twisted into a couple of shapes as he turned in the air and went straight into the water.

Nick watched in awe as Jackson head popped up from the chlorine filled pool. He swam toward the edge and shook of the water droplets that were drenching his hair.

"Damn that was awesome,"Nick praised. He recalled the memory of Jackson doing three quick somersaults in the air before he dove in. Jackson dipped down into the water again and came up gasping for air.

"No big deal," he grinned. "Did it for a movie like a month back." Nick's mind automatically jumped to the conversation he had with Oliver. Jackson lifted himself out of the water and planted himself on the edge of the pool where Nick was standing.

Nick let the awkward silence waft through their lack of conversation as he stared blankly at the pool. Out of the corner of his eyes, he could see a brunette walking slowly along the short end of the pool. She had a pair of aviator glasses blocking her eyes, but her smile was bright enough to see. She gave Nick a smirk and sat on the closest beach chair. Miley had on a huge baggy t shirt, covering up what she had on underneath.

"Stop staring. Its making me puke,"Jackson commented. He slipped into the water again and rose back up. "Are you coming in or not?" he questioned. Nick looked at the water and shook his head.

"Nah," he responded. He took a couple steps back and decided to engage in an interesting conversation with the pretty brunette.

Nick walked by the edge of the pool towards Miley's chair. She gave a small smile as he leaned in to give her a peck on the lips. She grabbed his shirt and pulled him in deeper to make the kiss last longer.

"That feels good," she murmured as she felt his soft pink lips. She lingered on his lips for a second, gently holding him down, before releasing him so that he could stand upright. He gave her a nice smirk and laid down on the white beach chair next to her. She took off her large t-shirt, revealing the pink bikini he had seen earlier.

"That _looks_ good," he commented, holding back his laughter at her anticipated reaction. She immediately let her tongue poke out at him, but he felt a shadow across his back. Nick turned his head to see Jackson glaring at him with his eyebrows propped up.

"Jackson," Miley warned, letting her Tennessee accent swarm through her voice. Jackson shrugged off the eye threats she was giving him as he tugged Nick's arm. "Jackson!" Miley yelled out at him as he led Nick off to the side of the pool.

"Don't worry, I'm not going to do anything too drastic," Jackson taunted her. He gave her a small wink that went unnoticed by Nick. Miley relaxed as she caught on with that playful gesture and grabbed the magazine she had brought with her.

"I didn't mean to be disrespectful," Nick replied automatically. He was slightly taller than Jackson, and he could take him if he wanted to. But the guy was Miley's brother. And that's what made him intimidating. Nick gulped.

"Oh, so that's why your eyes were gorging her down, huh?" Nick didn't have a response. Instead he set aside his voice and lowered his gaze, hoping Jackson would totally forget the inappropriate comment Nick had said before.

Jackson stubbed his finger into Nick's chest and smirked, letting his right side of his mouth rise a little higher than the left. Nick took a step backwards. It was a hard thing to deal with overprotective brothers.

"What are your intentions with my little sister?" he poked Nick's chest to emphasize certain words. Nick eyes flared up with worry and confusion as he took a couple steps back.

"Nothing," he swore. He held up his pinky in hopes of further comfort, but Jackson was trying to suppress a small smile. Nick's forehead creased, but his confusion was erased as Jackson swooped to pick him up. Next thing Nick knew, he was flying through mid air. He let his throat rip out as he yelped with fear.

"Miley!" Nick yelled as he was crashing through the oxygen molecules that were floating around him. She heard his strained voice and looked straight at her brother. In her blurry vision, she could see Nick slip backwards and crash into the crystal blue liquid. His eyes slammed shut as his head took a dip into the swimming pool.

"Jackson!" Miley sprinted toward the edge and snapped a look at her brother, who was giggling in his own little world. "He doesn't know how to swim!" Miley's screams became mumbled as Nick's body submerged under. He opened his eyes a little to see her tanned body diving in after him. But that's all he could remember as his mind went into an inky vacation.

**A/N I might not be able to update for awhile...lie next weekend probably. And even after that...its AP testing so we'll have to see. I'll update at least once every two weeks, but for sure this story will be finished before summer vacation starts and then I'm hoping to write another story then. So, we'll see how that goes (=. Um, this chapter is important. It may seem random, but its important, haha. Every chapter in this story def. deals with the theme of the story. I hope you guys like it. Told you it was fun. =D. Okay, let me know what you think, please. Tweet me, review whatever. If you favorite or story alert tell me why you read the story because feedback will def help me shape the ending, which is kind of in limbo right now. I'm trying to plan the last chapter, but its just all in jumbles. So tell me what you like and what you don't like about dollhouse and the first two chapters of this **


	3. Day 2

Nick groaned as he opened his eyes. He gasped in a breath of air as he lie consciously on his bed. The warm comforters spread over his freezing body. He looked to his right to see a couple of medicine bottles laying aimlessly on the counter. Miley was curled up on the arm chair in his big sweater, sleeping soundly. He slipped off his bed, giving out a loud grunt. Miley's eyes fluttered open from the sound.

"Hey there," she said carefully, getting up and making her way towards his bed. She put her hands on his shoulders and gently pushed him back into bed.

"Hey, I was about to get up," he mumbled softly. He was clearly confused as to why exactly he was in bed when the last thing he remembered was drowning. His forehead crinkled in confusion and Miley let out a silent laugh.

"We got you out just in time, but you were tired so we dragged you up here. You slept for like a day," she responded. Her hand automatically found its way up to his forehead as it ran through his soft curls.

"Your brother tried to kill me," Nick pointed out. Miley giggled and pressed her soft, rosy lips onto his cold skin. "Not funny, Miles."

"I warned you," she retorted. She lifted herself off the bed and walked to the door, giving Nick a look over her shoulder. "Its Lily's turn to watch you now. So, I'm going to head out."

"No," he whined, letting his voice reach an octave higher. She gave him a smirk and ducked out of his cabinets. Within in a few moments, Nick saw a blonde head bob in. Lily had headphones stuck in her ears as her eyes were glued to her iPod.

"Hey," she mumbled as she collapsed on Oliver's bed. Her eyes scanned the screen of her Ipod until she brought up her hand for a fist pump. "Yes!"

"Uh," Nick uncomfortably tried to converse. Lily lifted her head and popped out her earphones.

"Need something?" she asked, letting her earphones dangle out of her hands. "You're not like dying again are you?" she tried to joke.

"No," Nick chuckled. He nodded towards the small object in her hand. "What are you doing?"

"Watching the game," she replied. "You wanna watch?" She let her hand fly to the remote before he could answer. "Of course you want to watch," she answered for him. Nick laughed at her playfulness.

She hit the buttons and the television lit up the room. She grabbed a bag of chips off the counter and popped it open, piling the food into her mouth.

"Who's playing," Nick propped himself up, letting his back lean on the wall.

"Yankees versus Dodgers," Lily mumbled, trying the chips down her throat. She opened the drawer and grabbed a bottle of soda. She tossed one to Nick before getting herself one.

"Yankees are ma' team," Nick pounded his chest and grinned at the incredulous look on Lily's face. She scoffed and poked her bright pink tongue out.

"You are officially unlilyapproved," she smirked. His jaw dropped and he turned towards her. He shook his curls out of his face and playfully huffed.

"Yeah, well. Miley loves me more than you," he mocked her back. Lily rolled her eyes and chuckled, digging in for more chips.

"You wish," she played back. Nick rolled his eyes and focused his attention back on the screen. They watched the white ball whiz by in a home run as the Yankee batter zipped through the bases and hit home.

"Yes!" Nick pumped his hand in the air. Lily mumbled a small "darn it" under her breath and powered down the television. "Well, the best team has won," Nick prodded on, trying to get on Lily's nerves.

"Whatever," she sarcastically smiled at him, slapping him with a pillow in the process. He held up his arms for protection as she went at it. He pushed out his hands, causing her to tumble backwards and fall onto Oliver's bed.

"That's what you get for messing with the Nickster," he smirked. A glowing glint grew in her eyes and she bit her lip before charging at him full speed. She tumbled over him as he groaned. She hit him hard in the stomach.

"The citizens of Lilytopia put up a good fight," she smiled. And Nick groaned out as he nodded his head. What was up with Miley's family and friend's trying to kill him? First Jackson and now Lily? "Did I hit you that hard?" she asked with a hint of worry.

"Nah, don't worry about it," Nick tried not to clutch his stomach as he internally winced at the fleeting pain.

She grimaced as his forehead scrunched up. "You sure you're okay," she checked in case. She grabbed a water bottle off of the dresser and handed it over to him. "Drink up. Not that you didn't yesterday..." she stifled a laugh. He glared at her and chugged down the water; his pain slowly eased away.

"Not my fault you people are murderers," Nick pointed at his stomach, hinting that Lily had almost killed him.

"Hey, we're very protective of our kind," Lily giggled. Nick smiled, letting a blush grow on his cheeks as she implied Miley's name. "Awww, you're blushing," she cooed at him. Nick shook his head and wiped away any trace of red on his cheeks.

"Whatever," he tried to play it off as if it was nothing, but Lily smirked.

"Well, lover boy. I have to meet Oliver for a date," she inked at him, getting up and gathering her Ipod. "So, is it cool if I let Miley back in?" Nick nodded all to eagerly, getting Lily to laugh. "She'll come in half an hour," Lily called before closing the door.

Nick took a deep breath. Another thirty minutes till his other half could get here. He groaned and tossed over on his bed, lying down on his stomach. His eyes slowly drooped down and he went into a soft slumber.

He didn't know how much time had passed, but he was awoken as a split ran through his head. He shut his eyes and massaged his temple. The throb was beginning to beat faster and he felt two foreign fingers movie in circles at his temple.

"There, you okay?" he heard the sweet voice ask. Nick smiled- she was back. He turned around and gave her a soft kiss, letting himself become familiar with her plump lips again.

"I missed you," he murmured. She smiled and pressed her lips onto his skin. He dragged her down on the bed and caught her lips with his.

"What if someone walks in?" she laughed. Nick grinned at her and pressed himself onto her.

"You're family has made murder attempts on me. I think the least they can do is let me be alone with my girl," he mumbled back sweetly.

She let herself snuggle under his touch. He leaned in and covered her lips with his. The two moved together and soon his tongue was exploring her mouth. Her tongue wiped at his and they tangled together. It was time for oxygen and the let go of each other.

Nick tumbled over and sighed. He let his mind reach a state of contentment until another throb hit his brain. "Owww," he groaned. The pain got increasingly worse.

"You okay?" Miley rushed over to him and placed her hands on his head. He winced in pain and groaned. "The doctor said you would be getting headaches. You hit your head on the side. Softly, but you know these things," she explained. She ran her fingers through his hair.

"Hey, can you get me my Tylenol?" Nick motioned towards his duffel bag as the pain started increasing.

"You packed medicine," Miley joked as she went to his duffel bag.

"Always be prepared," he replied as he massaged his head. Miley zipped open the bag and rummaged through for the bottle. It didn't take long until she found the Tylenol logo. She grasped the pill bottle and was about to get up until she saw a blue velvet box. She took a hold of it and looked over her shoulder to see Nick hunched over and turned away. She opened it up to see a small diamond ring placed inside. Her eyes widened as she gathered in the information that she was going to get engaged.

"Miley," Nick groaned, still hunched over.

"Yeah, coming," Miley yelped, leaving the blue box behind.

**A/N Getting interesting? =D Okay, well, yeah. I liked the way this chapter turned out. Its mellow but it leaves with an AWWW in the end...well at least HOPEFULLY it did. 6 more chapters to goooo!!!!!! 3 Kayla**


	4. Day 3

Miley sat cross legged on her bed and refreshed the image of the glamor covered ring she had seen the other day. It was more than a figment of her imagination- it was the glimpse of reality, a shimmer of her future with Nick. She felt her happiness bubble throughout her body, rushing through her veins and pumping straight into her heart. She curled her toes and looked out the window to see the wild blue ocean staring straight at her. Her room's phone murmured through the air, causing Lily to stir in her sleep and mumble incoherent pieces of her dreams. Miley's tan hand flew to the white object as she tried to contain her excitement.

"Hello?" she pressed into the receiver.

"Hello beautiful," Nick responded back, careful not to miss a beat. She beamed into the phone, allowing her happiness to touch Nick and leave him with a wonderful morning.

"Hello there handsome," she retorted, swinging her legs over her bed and carefully placing them quietly on the floor. She didn't want to wake up Lily just yet. "What's up?" she whispered even more quietly.

"I was just making sure that its cool if I spend the day with your dad..." Nick trailed, unsure if she had other plans.

"No, not at all?" Miley's hopes were rising, trying to pry out the exact reason he was spending time with her dad...it didn't have to do with a certain piece of jewelry. Did it?

"Yeah, I think we're just going to go out for drinks or something," Nick mumbled back effortlessly. He scratched his neck as he drowsily looked for new clothes to slip into after he showers.

"Oh?" Miley's heart dropped as he didn't sound excited or anything.

"Yeah. You okay?" he asked as he heard her voice falter. Miley sucked it up and blew back into the receiver.

"Yeah. I'm fine. There was nothing important you needed to ask him or anything?" she prodded on. Nick's eyebrows arched up in confusion.

"No?" he wondered. What was she trying to hint at?

"Nothing," she mumbled, sighing as her chest built up with frustration. Now that she knew he had the ring, she was on the edge of her seat waiting for the actual proposal. "Have fun," she added in a cheery voice.

"Yeah, we will," Nick said a little skeptically. They both nodded and hung up their respective phones. Nick pressed the phone back to its place and crunched his forehead in confusion. He shook all doubts away from his head as he grabbed a black t shirt and normal jeans, laying them out on his bed. He looked over at Oliver who was busy playing video games.

"So, does she suspect anything?" Oliver asked, letting his controller nod off to the side as he turned towards Nick.

"I think its safe," Nick said slowly, trying to decode Miley's behavior. "Whatever, I have to go meet up with Billy Ray. Don't worry about it," he added as he grabbed a towel and hopped into the shower. Miley couldn't have known about it...they took extra precautions.

"I hope so," 'Oliver murmured to himself, turning back to his game, a little too preoccupied with his own thoughts.

Nick brushed up quickly and grabbed his comb, tangling through his unruly curls. He walked out of the bathroom and looked at his watch. It was almost noon and he had told Billy Ray he would meet him at the bar for a casual lunch. He grabbed the room key and gave Oliver a quick nod before ducking out of the cabin.

He plunged his hands into his pockets and stepped into the wooden bar only to see Billy Ray already sitting at a table. The two made eye contact and Nick smiled, slipping into the chair opposite to his girlfriend's dad.

"Hey, son," Mr. Stewart said cheerfully. He slipped out the menu and scanned his eyes for a good sandwich that would full his stomach.

Nick followed his lead and grabbed the red menu, looking over the different food.

"What are you getting?" Billy Ray peered over his menu to see Nick's chocolate eyes darting along the slanted words. Nick creased his forehead in a final decision and looked up.

"The turkey delight sounds good," Nick commented, grinning for effect. He grabbed his glass of water to quench his quick thirst. He signaled the waiter over once the older man set down his menu, displaying the fact that he was ready to eat.

"I'll have the chicken pasta," he said. Nick mumbled his order seconds later and the two ordered good old fashioned beers.

"So, whats up?" Nick asked awkwardly. He took a chug of his beer to loosen up in his own surroundings.

"Just relax, its not like I'm going to grill you or anything," he chuckled back at Nick's nerves. Nick visibly relaxed and Billy Ray leaned in. "Now tell me. What are your intentions with my daughter?" he narrowed in his eyes and let his brown eyes sharpen.

Nick choked on his drink from the directness of the quote. His eyes widened and he started to stutter out as much as he could get out.

"Relax!" Billy Ray belted out, laughing in hysterics as Nick starting gaining back his composure. Their food was delivered and they ordered two more drinks, already finished with their prior ones.

"You sure know how to joke," Nick commented lightly, digging into his food. He heard the older man chuckle lightly back and munch on his own food.

"Sorry, we just like playing with people's minds," he grinned back, referring to his entire family in the process. They bantered back and forth until they ate up their meal. The bar was empty so the two lounged in their chairs, continuing their conversations for hours.

"So you play music?" Billy Ray inquired. His ears perked up, ready to listen to the full details of Nick's conversation. Granted he was getting a little light headed from all the drinks they had consumed, completely ignoring the time that was passing by and losing a bit of his consciousness.

"Yeah," Nick sighed, trying to regain a clear eyesight, but was unfortunately not successful. "You should come tour with me. Open for me," he joked.

"That sounds great," Billy Ray slurred, not catching the joking tone.

"Yeah, it isn't a bad idea," Nick nodded. He looked at his companion intently and breathed out a heavy breath, looking at his watch for the exact time. It was nearing the late hours of the night and he yawned, completely confused to as how the time could pass by so quickly.

"Its getting late," he commented, looking around the bar. He perched his head up and nodded at Nick's watch to her the time out loud.

"Its almost twelve," Nick chuckled. "I can't believe we passed half a day without realizing the time that had skipped by," he stumbled up. He couldn't keep track of the drinks they had ordered. He signaled for the check and signed his name quickly.

"Let's go?" he questioned Nick. Nick let his curls bounce in a nod and the two stumbled through the hallways. "You tricked me into getting drunk," he joked. Nick smirked and quietly slipped the Stewart's room key into the door. The two walked into Billy Ray's room. They peeked over to see a sleeping Jackson, completely enveloped in his own sleep.

"It was nice getting to know you," Nick outstretched his arm as a final goodbye. As Billy Ray reached up to grab his hand, Nick felt something rise up from his stomach. His eyes widened and he darted towards the bathroom, throwing up everything that was held in before.

Nick eyes rapidly blinked as he felt himself give out. He lifted himself off the floor and walked towards the bathroom sink to wash himself up. He splashed water on his face and tried to regain strength to move on. Did he really drink that much? He shook his head. He stepped out the door, ready to say goodbye to Miley's father.

His eyes flickered around the room to see an open door and an empty room. He whipped his head around and his eyes bulged out. He darted out and snapped his head through the hallway. He was now wide awake as he ran through the corridor, searching for any sign of the old country musician.

"Do not panic Nick," he said to himself. "You did not just lose Miley's dad," he soothed himself. But a little voice in his head was itching around. _Yes, you did_. Nick gulped. _Miley is going to be so mad. _

__I


	5. Day 4

"Dammit," Nick cursed under his breath. He whipped his head in both directions and started to run through the halls. His feet bounced along the carpet as he skidded into the bar- only to find it completely locked up.

It was then his eye caught a glint of a figure near the pool; Billy Ray stood at the edge drunkenly watching the tranquility of the midnight pool.

"Mr. Stewart," Nick rushed outside and clasped his hands on Billy Ray's shoulders, pulling him away from the water. "I was looking all over for you," he chastised lightly. Billy Ray slurred his language and slumped into Nick's arm. The curly haired boy caught the older man's weight and carried him towards the room.

"Where's Miley?" he slurred as the beer got the best of him. Nick shook his head and slumped the grown man back on his bed.

"Goodnight, sir," Nick whispered as he quietly backed out of the room. Before he turned off the lights, he could see he saw Jackson sleeping soundly in bed. The two looked so peaceful after such a crazy week. Nick chuckled and locked the door.

It seemed like years as Nick groggily opened up his eyelids. He tossed his body around as he allowed the sun to slap his face as it came streaming into the cabin. He could see the waves march on through as the ocean came into clear view.

"Good morning," Oliver mumbled from the other bed. Nick gave him a slow nod and winced in pain as his head throbbed for a split second. "Hangover?" he guessed.

"Yeah, I think I drank a bit too much yesterday," Nick admitted, getting up and walking towards the coffee machine. He put in some water and poured in the coffee. He drank a couple of sips and waited as his head began to soothe down.

"Billy Ray is a pretty laid back guy," Oliver commented as he got up and walked towards the bathroom.

"Yeah, I kind of lost him last night and then found him about to drunkenly jump into a pool," Nick sighed. He let his mind wander to last nights events and chuckled as he replayed those moments. This week was really turning out to have its own twists and turns.

Oliver shook his head in laughter and started to brush his teeth. He peeked out of the bathroom and perched himself on the door frame. "Do you think he remembers anything from last night?" he chuckled and spit out the toothpaste into the sink and rinsed his mouth for a final time.

"Probably not," Nick laughed. He went to get some aspirin as another headache forged through his brain. He felt the pain pulse through and gulped down the tablet.

"What should we do today?"

"I don't know...want to try gambling?" Nick grinned as he grabbed his wallet. Oliver bit his lip and smiled back in return.

"Blackjack here I come. You know I can count cards?" Oliver asked as he grabbed his clothes.

"Sure," Nick joked back. And that was the last thing Oliver heard until he got into the shower. Right after he came out, Nick went in and the two got ready. They grabbed their jackets and the hotel room key and stepped out.

Oliver playfully popped his collar and slipped on a pair of shades. "Alright its going to be like the movie 21 except we won't get caught," he whispered.

"This family is crazy," Nick joked. He pressed the elevator button and waited until the arrow lighted up.

"Yeah, you better get used to it. Considering the obvious," Oliver smirked at him. Nick shook his curls and stepped into the elevator as the doors swooshed open. He pressed the ground floor level where the casino of the ship was located.

"Ready?" Nick quipped, stepping out. Oliver nodded and trailed behind his friend. Their first stop was the black jack table. Oliver sat down first and nodded towards the dealer. Nick shook his head...honestly wondering if Oliver knew how to count cards.

"Ready?" the dealer practically mimicked Nick's words. Nick smiled and nodded. The man dealt in two sets of cards to the four people that were seated at the table. The woman next to Nick gave him a soft smile as he landed with a count of 19.

"Looks like you're in good shape," she said as she obviously was trying to flirt. Nick rubbed the back of his neck uncomfortably and looked at Oliver for help. Oliver laughed and looked at his own cards instead.

"I have a girlfriend," Nick shot out. The blonde pulled back some strands of hair and pressed her lips together in embarrassment. She looked down at her cards rapidly and scooted a little further away from Nick.

"Sorry," she muttered as her cheeks flushed. Nick shook his head as the dealer asked if he wanted another card. Oliver was up next and asked for a hit, ending up with a bust.

"I thought you could count cards?" Nick asked as he tried to stifle laughs.

"I can. I just don't want to display my skills in public," Oliver reassured him. Nick shook his head as a form of sarcasm. He smirked at his friend who rolled his eyes as a retort. "Go flirt with your girl," he muttered, causing the blonde to blush furiously.

"I should go," she said as she took her drink and left. Nick looked pointedly at Oliver.

"What? She was eating you up with her eyes. Even _after_ you said you had a girlfriend."

"Whatever," Nick laughed. The dealer ended up busting and Nick doubled his chips. "I want out," he told the table and dragged out Oliver. "I won to cover your losses too," he handed the chips over to Oliver who stuck his tongue out.

"Its a card counting tactic. Make it look like you don't even know how to play the game," he huffed. Nick rolled his eyes and the two turned away from the table. Nick eyed up a slot machine and nodded towards the closest one. "Let me take this. I have the best luck with these things," Oliver smirked as he rolled up his sleeves.

"Right..." his companion trailed. Oliver lifted up his hand to shut Nick up. The excited boy sat down before the slot machine and dumped in a coin. He pulled the lever and crossed his fingers as it started rolling.

Oliver shut his eyes as the machine started to slow down. It dinged at he stayed silent. "Did I win?" he eagerly asked. Nick peered closely at the machine.

"I don't know...what does it mean when every single picture is different?" he asked sarcastically. Oliver threw his eyes open and scowled at his friend.

"It could happen to anyone," he defended and hopped off of the casino chair. Nick laughed and walked away from the machine.

"What happened to your so called luck?" Nick shouted out as the rounded the corner out of the casino. He had decided around five minutes ago that he was done with the place. They had their fun and lost a little money.

"I just temporarily ran out. It'll come back," Oliver reassured him. Nick slanted his eyebrows in disbelief causing Oliver to surge another round of defenses. "Hey everyone goes down on their luck every now and then."

"Yes, that's how you lost at blackjack."

"No, I purposely lost. I told you that already," he joked. Nick rolled his eyes and they rounded into the main deck of the ship where there were plenty of shops around. They both dug their hands in their pockets and were passing by a restaurant until Nick abruptly stopped and peered through a window of the restaurant.

"I think your bad luck just rubbed off on me," Nick sighed. Oliver followed his gaze but was thoroughly confused.

"What are you talking about, dude?" Oliver shifted his eyes until he saw two figures leaning into each other.

"Billy Ray is on a date and Miley doesn't know about," he whispered Oliver's thoughts out loud. Nick slowly inhaled a large breath of air.

"This family vacation just got a lot more drama filled," Oliver narrated the events.

"Yup," the curly haired boy agreed. "Now who's going to tell Miley?"

**A/N Long time no see, huh? Well, here's an update. There's four more chapters left so...we passed the halfway mark for the story! Wohoooo! haha, I'll try to update this again, cause I'm kind of taking a week break from G&D to gather my thoughts. Hope you guys liked this update! Later! Love you guys!**


	6. Day 5

Miley plucked her earrings from the jewelry box and let the dangle against her soft ear. She narrowed in her eyes at the mirror and pursed her lips in solid thought. The yellow completely clashed with her tanned skin but perfectly fit with her dress. She held her face in disgust and grabbed the pearls she had set aside for backup. She hung onto her ears and gently slid in the earring.

"You ready for dinner," Lily leaned into the only mirror in the room and fixed up her makeup. She smeared her eye shadow just a little bit to make sure the color wasn't too vibrant.

"Of course, best friends out to dinner," the brunette grinned to her blonde friend. Emily shook her head and walked towards the closet to finally grab a scarf.

"So, what was it you wanted to tell me?" the blonde leaned against the wall as she tilted her eyebrows to question her friend. Miley got up from the chair and grabbed her purse, searching for her wallet before heading towards Emily.

"I'll tell you at dinner," the girl grinned with anxiety. She was so nervous and eager to share the news about the ring with Lily. The secret had been eating her up as she waited anxiously for Nick to finally pop the question.

"Okay," her friend laughed at Miley's eagerness. Miley whipped her tongue out childishly and zipped up her purse again. The girls took one last look at the mirror and fixed up their hair before heading out.

There was a hazy knock on the door as Miley was about to approach the wooden slab. She gently opened the door to see her boyfriend leaning against the doorframe.

"Hey," he greeted with a soft kiss on the cheek and nodded at Lily for a formal greeting. Miley flipped her eyes around his boy which was covered in a formal shirt and slacks.

"Why so proper?" Miley curiously asked, pointing to the formal garments he was wearing. Nick looked down and grinned as he propped up his collar. He stuffed his hands in his pockets and leaned back and forth on his heels.

"Dinner with your dad," he smiled. "I have something to ask him," he added in mysteriously. His words seeped into Miley's mind as she engulfed him in a hug. "Woah, what was that for?" he smiled as her hands were warmly wrapped around him.

"Nothing," she said back, releasing him from her grip. Lily looked at her weirdly and the room became uncomfortable with a thick silence. Nick stepped back and creased his forehead with worry.

"Are you okay?" he held up his hand as he pressed his palm to her forehead. He met a fresh batch of cool skin, letting him know that she didn't have a fever.

"I'm fine," she groaned, slapping his hand away. She gave him a satisfied smile and linked her arms with Lily. "We have a date tonight," she winked at him as he chuckled. She clung onto Lily and the two made their way out the door. Nick took a good look at his watch and walked toward Billy Ray's room.

He knocked softly until the older man opened the door with a groan.

"Still hung over?" Nick guessed at the Billy Ray's appearance. He nodded back as a reply and massaged his head before closing the door behind him. He checked to see that the room was locked and stuffed his hands in his pockets as he walked alongside Nick through the hallway. "So…" Nick trailed awkwardly. He looked up at Billy Ray who chuckled lightly. The night was just beginning.

Miley propped up the menu and creased her forehead as she squinted to get the names of each order. She pecked her head closer and groaned at the small font. "Who types this small nowadays. We should sue the restaurant."

"Good idea," Lily chimed in sarcastically. Her eyes were roaming around the pasta section of the menu. She looked straight to what her stomach was craving and placed the menu down as she impatiently waited for Miley to stop her whining.

"What are you getting?" Miley peered over curiously to her friend. Lily looked back at her menu and reread the name.

"The Chicken Fettuccini. I cannot take one more meal of seafood or I'm pretty sure I'm going to throw up," she held her stomach. They could suddenly feel the ship swaying on the ocean water and Miley held her face in disgust.

"I know. I actually can't wait till we're on land again," she placed down her menu as she seemingly finally decided on what she wanted to order.

"You decided?" Lily gasped almost in shock. Miley gave her a sarcastic smile and pushed her menu towards the middle of the table. She propped up her elbows and rested her head in her hands as she watch Lily. "What?"

"Nothing," she said with a grin on her face. She looked dazed as her eyes trailed the glass window that revealed the rest of the deck from the restaurant.

"So what were you going to tell me earlier," Lily nudged her friend from across the table. Miley's face lit up with excitement that she obviously couldn't contain. Her bright blue orbs got a lot bluer as the reflected the happiness she had been feeling the last couple of days.

"The other day when Nick was on bed rest…I found something" she paused in effect.

"Go on…" Lily getting curious into the situation. Miley smiled and bit her lip.

"I found a ring," she bubbled. Lily's eyes widened as Miley grinned back. The waiter had already approached the table as the two girls were having a silent spazz attack.

"He had a ring," Lily clarified. Miley nodded her head with excitement as the confused waiter waited impatiently at the edge of the table.

"Um, can I get your order?" the young boy asked awkwardly, rubbing his hand on the base of the neck. Lily whipped her eyes toward the waiter and narrowed in her gaze to his eyes. He gulped and placed his note book back into his back pocket. "I should probably come back in a few moments," he stumbled back.

"Yeah, that would be good," Lily gave him a sarcastic smile and turned attention back towards Miley. She grabbed Miley's hand and silently imagined the ring sitting on her best friend's finger. "How does it look like?" she asked.

"It's around this big," Miley closed her finger. Emily grinned at the size and darted her eyes to Miley's tanned finger. "It has a platinum band and inside there was couple of words but I couldn't read them before Nick started waking up. Plus, I want that to be a surprise."

"Oh my god. This is so adorable," Lily squealed. "My best friend is getting married," she said in a high pitched voice. The two caught the waiter making his way over to the table again for a second time and decided that now would be a good time to order.

"Ready?" he asked with a pen in his hand. Lily rolled her eyes and ordered what she wanted. Miley finished up her order and the waiter left with a quick nod, scampering away from the table and away from Lily.

"You are so lucky. Oliver isn't near ready to propose and we've been going out for like…" she trailed her eyes upwards as she started counting. "Years," she finally added, giving up on counting the exact number.

Miley laughed and sighed at her best friend. She played with her fork and looked up at Lily. "He'll be ready soon," she reassured her. Lily nodded and shrugged her shoulders.

"I doubt I'm even ready. We're just so young right know, you know?" the blonde offered her thoughts. Miley smiled in agreement and nodded. It was a huge life changing event and they were just so young at the moment.

The waiter soon rushed over with their dishes and placed their drinks, earning a satisfied nod from Lily. Once everything was set in place he left the two girls to enjoy their dinner alone.

Billy Ray curiously looked over to the person across his table. Nick nervously looked down. "You know this is a big deal. Right, son?" he looked over at the curly haired boy who was nodding slowly.

"I'm fully ready. The question is…are you?" Nick asked as he looked up anxiously at the father of his girlfriend. Billy Ray held on a solemn look and bit his lip. A small smile started forming on his face and he looked at the young boy with pride.

"Of course I am."

**A/N Sorry its been such a long time )= Haha, but there's only three chapters left. And the next chapter is BIG. Like BIG BIG. The ring finally comes out to play. So, if you're reading this story check out Guys and Dolls. And that's it for the night. Love you guys. **


	7. Day 6

"Here," Nick smiled as he handed her the single rose. She looked at its beautiful figure and inhaled the scent. In the moment, she was captured with the beautiful experience. Nick was dressed in a nice tux and they were alone on the ship's deck. It was their last night on the ship and Miley could feel that he was going to propose any second now.

"What are you thinking about?" she prodded on as she tilted her head. She was dying for him to get down on one knee. She felt his arm encircle around her tiny waist and tug her in a bit closer.

"Nothing. You look beautiful," he whispered into her ear. He led them to the sides as they clung onto the bars that blocked them from the ocean. The waves were beating restlessly- just like the thoughts that were swimming through Miley's head.

"It's really beautiful tonight," she murmured. Her glossy eyes skimmed across the ocean's surface. They could see a faraway lighthouse that spun its light in the distance. The waves crashed back into the ocean, emitting the tranquil sounds of the ocean. It was a restless but peaceful night.

"Did you have fun on the trip?" he asked as he trailed his hand to the small of her back. He ran his fingers through her long brunette hair as she gently nodded. She turned to look at him, leaning her back on the railing.

"Did you?" Her blue eyes were filled with curiosity. He spun back into a series of flashbacks as he lightly chuckled.

"It's been a bit…unconventional. I mean almost dying, almost losing your dad when he was drunk," he chuckled. He leaned into her and smiled. She giggled and bit her lip as they recounted the full week.

"I can't believe you got drunk with my dad,"Miley retorted. She brushed a couple of her hair strands behind her ear. She crossed her arms and gently shook her head, scolding Nick in a playful manner.

"Please, like he's the victim? Your family is nuts. Like you," he nuzzled in his nose to hers. He smiled and dipped down, pulling her into a soft kiss. She swiped her tongue across his pink lips and begged for entry. He granted. They stood in a moment of time until she decided to pull away.

"We're a normal family," she responded, laughing a little bit. She looked at him straight in the eye and tried to keep a still face, but failed as she giggled. "Okay, maybe they're a little bit too much to handle," she agreed. He rolled his eyes and gave her another kiss- this time quick and to the point.

"Speaking of family, I kind of need to ask you something," he started nervously. She bit her lip- completely even more anxious then she was before. The moment she had been waiting for was finally coming. He breathed in deeply and leaned into her. "I've been thinking," he started. His eyes wandered to the empty ocean as he figured out how to exactly word what he was going to say.

"You can ask me anything," she added on impatiently. He smiled and kissed her nose. He looked back on the ground and bit his lip. He was about to say something until something broke his concentration- the sound of Oliver's voice.

"Hey man," Oliver shouted out from the back of the deck. He had his hand linked with Lily's as they made their way towards the couple. Lily was wearing and evening dress as Oliver, too, was dressed up in a tux.

"Hey Lily," Miley gave her friend the death glare. However, Lily didn't pick up on Miley's signal. The blonde just gave the brunette a hearty hug and clung back onto Oliver.

"Hey, guys," Nick smiled. He and Oliver shook hands as a formality and dug their hands into their pocket.

"It's weird that this is going to be our last night," Oliver added in to spice up the lack of conversation. Nick nodded. "It feels like we've been on this boat forever."

"It's only been a week," Miley shot him a look. She hoped that Lily and Oliver would get the hint and go elsewhere as she waited for Nick to pop the question. She was getting impatient and a little bit fidgety. Nick gave her a small look as he tilted his head. She was squirming in his grip.

"You alright?" Nick asked, sensing something was wrong. He centered his attention on Miley, who gave her audience a bright smile.

"Nothing," she replied back. "Just don't you think Oliver and Lily have other things to do," she hinted. Oliver gulped and took Lily's arm as they stood on the other side of Nick and Miley.

"Your girlfriend's right," Oliver. He smiled at Nick and they exchanged a look. Oliver and Lily made their way over to the restaurant that was on the other side of the deck. A couple of people passed by Nick and Miley as they made their way back to their cabins in the dead of the night. Nick was leaning against the railing and looking at the ocean again. Miley joined him in his peaceful stare as she intently looked at him. He didn't seem to notice that she was looking at him until a couple of seconds later.

"What? Do I have something on my face?" Nick chuckled, swiping his hand on his cheeks. He checked himself in the reflection of the railing. She shook her head in frustration. What?" He chuckled.

"You needed to ask me something," she reminded him of their previous conversation. He scrunched his eyebrows until he remember.

"Oh, yeah," he waved it off. "I was wondering. I asked your dad already," he added in as a buffer. "You know how I have to go on tour this summer," he rambled on. She was getting confused now. What did this have to do with proposing? "I asked your dad to join me on tour. And I was wondering what you thought, manager?" he grinned, thinking she would be overjoyed with his business skills.

"What?" she asked in clarification. Nick nodded slowly as though he was missing a part of the whole conversation. "That's what you were going to ask me?" He scrunched his eyebrows up in worry.

"Why?" he asked in concern. Miley rolled her eyes and grabbed her clutch off the table. She gripped the railing.

"Never mind. I just thought something else," she said trying to get her mind together. She looked at him.

"Okay…" he said, a little bit confused. "So how did you know earlier?" he ventured out.

"What are you talking about?" Miley snapped, obviously not in the mood to get confused any longer.

"That Oliver and Lily had _other_ stuff to do," Nick chuckled. "Oliver said he didn't tell you because you might spill," he added in. Miley's eyebrows flew up in question.

"What are you talking about?" she asked again, but this time a little bit more slowly than before. She stepped forward and Nick scrunched his eyebrows together.

"You know.." he trailed back in reply. Miley's head started working in overdrive. Just then, both of them heard a round of applause that emitted from the restaurant closest to them. Miley whipped her head towards it. She saw people giving a standing ovation to her two best friends. Oliver was hugging Lily as she wiped away tears of happiness. Miley glimpsed over her best friend's face and went to look straight at her fingers. There on Lily's ring finger sat the same ring Miley had seen earlier that week.

The ring she had seen in Nick's bag. The ring that she thought she would be wearing by now.

**A/N That's the big twist. THe ring is actually Oliver's. And Nick was just talking about going on tour with Mr. Stewart. If you read dollhouse, Nick's a musician and that Billy Ray tried following his musical dreams to LA. Two more chapters left!**


	8. Day 7

Miley backed up a little as her back touched the railing of the ship. She flipped through last night's events as she raced through her mind, going through the flashback over and over again. How could she not see that _that_ was Oliver's ring?

"Miley?" Nick asked cautiously. She had run out on him the night before. He tried chasing her, but she slammed her door shut. He dragged in the last pieces of baggage and rested his arms on the railing, getting a view of the piece of land that was inching closer. He took a glimpse at his girlfriend who was quietly standing a foot away.

"Yeah?" she finally answered back softly. She titled her head, letting a couple of strands fall across her face. He saw her tanned skin come in contact with her brunette locks and couldn't help himself. He reached out to brush the strands of hair from her face. Her blue eyes were startling as he got a good look at them. She looked upset. More than upset. "What?" she asked, regaining his attention and focus.

"What's wrong?" he asked gently. He stroked her back, but she just gripped her luggage with her free hand. She kept a stony expression that concentrated itself on the waves that rocked the ship.

"I thought that ring was for me," she finally decided that she owed him an explanation. He was a bit startled- he didn't realize _that_ made her upset.

"Oh," he stated awkwardly. He rubbed the back of his neck and turned towards her. She looked a bit dull and without the burst of energy she normally had. He slid in closer to her as she sighed. "Um…" he was unsure as to how to exactly break the silence.

"I know it's stupid," she grumbled. Her head was in her hands now. She took a peek over at Nick how had an apologetic look on his face.

"No, it's not stupid," he reassured her. He placed his hand on the small of her back and rubbed small circles to soothe her down. It worked as her breathing strayed away from being ragged. Her cheeks started to build back in color as she embraced his comfort. It was still silent as she miserably hung her head down.

"I just when I saw that ring in _your _suitcase I just jumped to conclusions," she explained her rational. He chuckled and brought her into a light embrace. She rested her head on his chest and tried to breathe regularly to stop the tears from falling.

"Oliver kept it with me for safe keeping. He didn't want to lose it," he explained back. She nodded back. She was gaining back her composure slowly and he could feel her relax. "You know I want to, right?" She looked up at him with confusion.

"What?" she asked a little bit more brightly. A small smile was creeping up on her face and Nick was beginning to blush. He looked away from her for a second. She bit her bottom lip with anxiety as his fingers began to tremble.

"Well, I mean, yeah, I was just…waiting for the right time," he cautiously looked up at her. She had a small smile on her face now and felt relieved. "I wanted to talk about first."

"Okay, so let's talk about it," she eagerly brought up. Nick looked into her eyes and chuckled. She brought herself on her tippy toes and leaned up to give him a soft kiss. He applied a bit of pressure and wrapped his arms around her tiny waist.

"Okay, so what do you think about it?" he eyed her cautiously. Miley let out a small smile and bit her lip. "Because I'm going on tour soon and things are just going to get busy, so when's the best time?" he added in to the practical part of the conversation.

"I always wanted a December wedding," she mused. "Plus, your tour runs from September to November and then we'll have Christmas time free."

"A Christmas wedding," Nick grinned. Miley tossed her hair to one side and tried to hide a shy smile. "And what about after that. We're entering something completely different," he said as he looked a bit anxious.

"Well, I'll still me your manager so it won't be _that _different. And plus we already live together," she smiled and linked her arm with his. She leaned into his chest and peacefully let out a breath of air. He leaned on the railing and both viewed the bustling deck. Everyone had their suitcases with them as the ship was nearing the shore.

"Do you think we're ready," Nick gripped her only harder now. Miley felt herself relax in his grip as she pondered on the thought. They were about to make a huge step in their lives and it was only natural to be a tad bit hesitant.

"Um," she stated, wondering the best way to express her confidence in them, but she was interrupted as her dad and brother skateboarded onto the deck. Jackson wasn't able to control himself in headed straight to the deck's Jacuzzi and was unluckily tipped into the water with a big splash.

"Woah," Nick stammered, letting go of Miley as both of them rushed over the Jacuzzi. Robby Ray held stopped his skateboard and rushed over with them. Jackson slowly stood up as his clothes were drenched in water. He rubbed his head and felt a small sized bump.

"Owww," he winced in pain. He climbed over the Jacuzzi and held onto Nick for support.

"Serves you right," Nick joked in the moment. Everyone threw him a glare and he stifled his laugh. "Sorry," he mutter under his breath as he led a limping Jackson to a chair. The sandy blonde sat down and slowly rubbed his head.

"I think its better," Jackson finally decided. He downed the Tylenol tablet that Miley had received from her bag. Miley shook her head and sighed. She walked away from the chair and strode over to the side of the boat. The ship just docked and the captain was making an announcement as everyone retrieved their luggage and was getting ready.

"Hey," Nick chimed once he was by her side. Miley rolled her eyes and bit her lip. He could tell that something was bugging her, but he didn't want to push it.

"You know how you asked if we were ready?" Miley finally talked. Nick looked at her patiently. "We're so different."

"What do you mean?" He was caught completely off guard with the topic that she wanted to pursue.

"I mean your family has class and my family…" she motioned to Jackson with a sarcastic laugh. "I could never imagine Kevin doing that. Or your dad getting completely drunk like my dad did." She played with her right ear ring. "My family is so dysfunctional, Nick. How would you want to marry into that?"

"Miley," he wanted so much to interrupt her thoughts and stray her away from this type of thinking. She was single handedly letting go of their relationship over a meaningless thought.

"No, Nick," she was adamant about this. "I mean our family is dysfunctional that my dad can't even tell me he's dating again. And Jackson almost killed you," she said almost manically at this point. She was getting a bit crazed as she grabbed her bag.

"You knew?" Nick was taken aback by the beginning of her rant.

"Yeah, I saw Jackson push you in, remember?" she asked almost obviously.

"No, about your dad," he responded quickly. Miley was rolling her luggage toward the front entrance of the ship to get off.

"Yeah Nick I did. I'm not an idiot," her breath was ragged and tears were coming to her eyes. "We come from completely different families Nick. This isn't going to work. My family is too much of a circus for you," her words flew out of her mouth and left Nick completely astonished. She took one last look at him and whipped around. She sped up and was practically sprinting toward the exit of the ship.

**A/N And now all that's left is the Epilouge! Wohooo this story is almost finished. Thank you guys for all the support you've given to me. Especially when I just wanted to give him on this story. Aiiiight peace out. Sorry for the really late update, but at least its up now, right? Its basically been sitting in my files half updated for like ever. I can't wait till I can change the status of this story to complete!**


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